How to view a .ICO file online
No app, no account, no upload.
Open your .ICO
Drag a .ICO file onto the viewer, paste one with Ctrl+V, or choose it from your device.
View and inspect
Zoom in close, pan around, rotate or flip it, and read the exact color of any pixel.
Save a copy
Download it as PNG, JPG or WEBP with your rotation applied, at the quality you choose.
What is a .ICO file?
Everything worth knowing about Windows Icon File.
An ICO file is a Windows icon used for programs, files, folders, and browser favicons. One .ico holds the same image at several sizes (16x16 up to 256x256) so Windows picks the sharpest version for each context. To view one, use IrfanView or XnView. To edit or create icons, use the free GIMP or Greenfish Icon Editor.
Programs that open .ICO files
- Windows
- IcoFX, GIMP, IrfanView, Greenfish Icon Editor Pro, XnView MP
- macOS
- GIMP, XnView MP
- Linux
- GIMP
- Web
- ICO Convert / favicon generators
| Full name | Windows Icon File |
|---|---|
| Developer | Microsoft |
| First released | 1985 (Windows 1.0); PNG-compressed icons supported since Windows Vista, 2007 |
| Category | Images |
| MIME type | image/vnd.microsoft.icon |
| Signature | 00 00 01 00 (ICONDIR header: reserved 0000, type 0001 (icon)) |
Related tools
More free tools for working with images.
Frequently asked questions
Is my .ICO file uploaded to a server?
No. The viewer decodes your .ICO file with your browser's own image engine. Closing the tab removes it completely.
How do I open PSD, TIFF, RAW or HEIC files?
HEIC and HEIF (iPhone photos) open right here — we decode them with libheif. PSD, TIFF, JPEG 2000, camera RAW, HDR and texture files have their own viewers, linked above; the Image Viewer sends you to the right one automatically.
What does the Photo details panel show?
The EXIF data your camera or phone saved in the photo: camera and lens, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, the date it was taken and, if location was on, where. Files you save from this viewer don't include this data, which is handy when you share photos.
Is there a file size limit?
There's no fixed limit; it depends on available memory. Very large images (over 40 megapixels) are previewed at reduced resolution so the viewer stays fast, but the reported dimensions are always the original ones.
How does the color picker work?
Point at any pixel to see its HEX and RGB value with a magnified view of the surrounding pixels. Click to copy the HEX code and save it to your palette.
Should I save as PNG, JPG or WEBP?
PNG keeps every pixel and transparency, which is best for screenshots and graphics. JPG makes photos small. WEBP is usually the smallest of all and works in every modern browser.
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